Category: Detoxification

By Kirsten West ND, Lac, FABNO Like many of you, my thoughts regarding farms (at least in the past) typically transitioned into images of red barns, green pastures, the solitary cow (or two), perhaps some chickens, rows of corn, birds chirping- basically, an overall picture of serenity. In fact, living next to a scene such as this appears quite nice. Most recently, this “farm life” image has been turned on its head with the development of what is now called a CAFO. Quite frankly, not only would I not want one next door but I would prefer to be several miles (at least 60) away from one. First, let us start with what CAFO means. A CAFO stands for a Concentrated Animal Farming Operation. You may ask what this has to do with health and most importantly why, I am writing about it… hold on to your seats. CAFOs are multiplying across the country. They are considered a specific type of large-scale industrial agricultural facility that raises animals in high density for the consumption of animal products (meat, eggs, or milk). Notably, there is typically little to no horticulture. It has been argued that this is the future of farming...

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene tested more than 3000 samples of consumer products during lead poisoning case investigations recently  and almost 40% of the samples had very elevated levels of lead. The highest concentrations of lead were found in spices purchased in the countries Georgia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Morocco. Make sure you ask where the spices are from before you buy. From: J Public Health Manag Pract. 2019 Jan/Feb;25 Suppl 1, Lead Poisoning Prevention:S63-S70.

An article in The Lancet, a respected medical journal, details how blood lead levels are a greater risk factor than smoking and all the other risk factors too like hypertension andsedentary lifestyle...but smoking. Seriously this is a big deal. Urinary heavy metals testing is the most accurate way to asses these metals. It should be done after a detox IV. STUDY: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(18)30025-2/fulltext

Though not new, it is interesting to watch this video from the University of Calgary and how toxic mercury really is to the brain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU8nSn5Ezd8

A new study published last Month [Low-level lead exposure and mortality in US adults: a population-based cohort study. [Primary author: Prof Bruce P Lanphear] Demonstrated that lead is much more toxic than previously thought. "Lanphear and colleagues noted strong correlations between initial amounts of lead in blood and subsequent mortality in this population. Comparing mortality in the tenth percentile (level of lead in blood 1·0 μg/dL) with that in the 90th percentile (6·7 μg/dL), they found a 37% increase in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1·37, 95% CI 1·17–1·60), a 70% increase in cardiovascular disease mortality (1·70, 1·30–2·22), and a more than doubling of mortality from ischaemic heart disease (2·08, 1·52–2·85). A similar pattern of increased risk was seen when the analysis was restricted to people with blood lead levels below 5 μg/dL. Furthermore, the authors estimated that the fraction of all-cause mortality in the USA attributable to lead is 18%, accounting for 412 000 deaths per year."